Going Bovine

By: Libba Bray

Narrated by: Erik Davies

Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Can Cameron find what he's looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school - and life in general - with a minimum of effort. It's not a lot to ask. But that's before he's given some bad news: he's sick and he's going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure - if he's willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

©2009 Libba Bray (P)2009 Random House

made me confused about life.

The story was funny sad and exciting sometimes all at the same time. sometimes hard to keep track of what is happening but in a good way.

Fantastic story! Unexpected and quirky

Loved this book! I had no idea what to expect and it surprised me at every chapter. The performance was good, however, the voice was too… well… old. The story is told by a 16 year old teen and the reading voice sounded about 50 and like the movie phone guy. But the story was a 10/10 for me.

A decent idea, too many curse words

Bray has a great idea, but the book is plagued by curse words. Apparently she thinks that all teens must talk that way. She is also stuck in the 80s. This is supposed to be a contemporary book, yet there are references to Star Wars and video arcades (which hardly exist any more). She seems hung up on MTV, with a thinly veiled Carson Daley as a chief annoyance.

The idea, however, of a kid launching on a Quixotic quest while having Mad Cow Disease is great. I also loved having the god Balder stuck in a yard gnome. However, with this set up, the bad guy is obviously swiped from Star Wars (read Luke vs Vader in Degobah) and the ending is a serious let down.

Alright

Libba Bray is one of my favorite authors. This book however wasn't up to my standards. It's an interesting read with an okay narrator. I probably won't relisten/reread it. I am glad I did at least once though since I enjoy the author.

Drug-enhanced Trip or Depressing Monologue?

At times this book feels like a drug-enhanced trip, other times it’s a depressing monologue about Cameron’s journey toward death, and still other times there are poignant points as Cameron discovers his own humanity.

The tale is a surreal, twisty ride with so many elements thrown in it almost feels campy at times, everything from a pink-haired angel to dwarves, wizards, gnomes, and fire giants. There’s also the sinister United Snow Globe Wholesalers group and the cult-type Church of Everlasting Satisfaction and Snack ‘N Bowl.

I felt like the ‘journey’ in the middle went a little long and could have been shortened a bit, but the story is never predictable, so if you’re looking for a zany take on a hard topic this is worth a read. I give it three stars in my five star rating system.

Slow Reading

When I listen on 1.0x speed, it was far too slow, but if you speed it up, which I did, you lose the accent for the Norse character. :(. Otherwise pretty enjoyable.

Favorite for 10 years

I read this book sometime in middle school, when it first came out, and adored it. It’s the type of book that I thought about weekly if not daily for the next decade. In that time however, I was nervous to revisit Going Bovine. Would it stand up to my memory? Would it be as good as last time? Finally I downloaded this audiobook and can wholeheartedly say; Yes, it did. Going Bovine continues to shape the way I view the world and open my mind to adventures in this realm and the next.

If you are looking for something different...

What did you love best about Going Bovine?

Book came highly recommended by another author, so I downloaded it without even looking at what it was about. Interesting listen...I was pulled in from the beginning

What other book might you compare Going Bovine to and why?

the Fault In Our Stars... Both books discuss teenagers and death

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Funny

Great book, has you wishing for the impossible. Read well although the 'girl' voices are a little annoying.

Good for the imagination!

Loved it, kept your mind thinking. Ill never look at gnomes the same way again.